Tinder
by dna2000
Summary: As you can probably guess from the title, this is a modern AU M/M. I know you probably never thought you'd see Tinder and Downton Abbey in the same story, but there we are! Very smutty, but hopefully quite fun and entertaining too :) One-shot, with potential for more one-shots later.


The sound of the door shutting behind her and the jangling of her keys as she tossed them on the table signified Mary's return to her flat. Not that anyone else was around to hear, she realised. Anna was spending the weekend away with her fiancee, a final peaceful weekend before the hustle and bustle of their upcoming wedding.

_Yet another wedding to attend_.

As happy as Mary was for her best friend, she couldn't help but view Anna's nuptials as one in a long line of romances that Mary was forced to view from afar. It was beginning to look like a virtual certainty that Mary would be the only singleton in her age group within the next few months. Even Edith had recently hooked up with someone, for Christ's sake. He was a much older man with a slightly toad-like quality to him, and Mary wouldn't go near him with a barge-pole, but she found herself feeling irrationally jealous.

Sybil, ever the perceptive and optimistic one, had observed her eldest sister's frustration and eagerly thrust her mobile phone in Mary's direction.

"You must try this, Mary." Sybil had urged.

"Darling, there is absolutely no way I'm reducing myself to letting an app dictate my love life." Mary sighed. "Not yet, anyway." She'd added, not knowing what state of desperation awaited her.

"I was sceptical at first, too, but Gwen met her boyfriend through it. I only got it a few weeks ago and I've been on _so_ many dates since then. And I think it's really working out with this latest one, the cab driver." Sybil replied excitedly.

"Yes, but..." Mary trailed off, not knowing how to phrase "_your standards are decidedly lower than mine_" politely. Her astute sister seemed to read her thoughts, though, and smiled wryly.

"Alright, suit yourself." She'd said, retracting her phone. "But I have a feeling you'll change your mind eventually."

That had been a mere week ago. Mary had thought - or at least, hoped - that it would take more than seven days for her perception to change. Alas, attending a dinner party at her parents' house with her grandmother, aunt and all of her parents' friends had done little to boost her confidence in finding her soulmate anytime soon. Comment after comment had been thrown her way about how sitting around and waiting for Mr Right never did anyone any good, not in the real world, and that she needed to take a more pro-active approach before she was left on the shelf. "_Before _she's left on the shelf?" Her uncle had scoffed. "I think that ship has sailed - why, she's practically expired and ready to be sent to a landfill site!" As if to add insult to injury, her eight-five year old grandmother had suggested that she go to more bars and clubs.

"Granny, aren't you supposed to be discouraging me from entertaining opportunistic, drunken men?" Mary had countered, on the defensive. "Besides, since when is twenty-nine considered past a woman's sell-by date? We're not living in 1912, you know."

Her attempts at deflecting scrutiny of her love-life, or lack thereof, failed miserably. She'd almost wished Edith had been there to gush about her new boyfriend - not that Anthony could accurately be described as such, given that his boyhood was a long, _long_ time ago - to divert attention away.

It was all so frustrating. Why must she be subjected to such pressure to tie herself to a man? She was young, objectively. She was still in her twenties! Wasn't this supposed to be the decade of being care-free and reckless? What if she wanted to just engage in some casual sex? Would that be so wrong?

Would it?

The cautious part of her made her hesitate as she pulled out her phone. It was a little out of character for her to hook up with a random man without even seeing him in person first.

_Screw it_, she thought, downloading the app. She was in the middle of London, and it would be incredibly unlikely that she would ever see this man again. Nobody need ever find out. Just one night of mindless passion. That's exactly what she needed.

...

"Another drink, lads?" William asked as he rose from his chair.

"One more pint for me, please." Tom answered. The two of them cast a glance at their other companion, who sat brooding sulkily. "And maybe another for Mr Sunshine over here." Tom winked. William chuckled as he left to put his order in before the pub stopped serving drinks. "Seriously, mate, you need to cheer up."

Matthew finally looked up, having been staring moodily at his beer glass for the majority of the evening, his jaw still set. "I'm fine."

Tom rolled his eyes. "Good God, man, I've never seen anyone so glum. And I drive drunk, overly-emotional people around London every night!" Matthew didn't react. Tom sighed. "Look, I know you're still upset about Melissa-"

"This has nothing to do with her." Matthew cut in. "I didn't love her anyway." It was true - he'd come to realise that he'd never really been in love with his ex-girlfriend. Still, it had stung when she'd dumped him a month earlier for someone else. He had seen it coming - he'd noticed her growing disinterest in him and had done all he could to keep her attention, including getting a personal trainer and taking cookery classes. It hadn't worked, however.

"So what is it, then?" Tom asked exasperatedly.

Matthew shrugged. It wasn't one particular thing that was troubling him. He was about to turn thirty, and he was nowhere near where he'd thought he'd be. A year ago, it had all looked so promising. He'd been planning on proposing to Melissa - thirty was a nice age to get married, after all - and it looked like he'd be made partner at his law firm soon. Instead, he now found himself single and jobless, having been made redundant a week after being dumped. To make matters worse, his lack of employment at a high-powered law firm meant he could no longer afford to pay his rent, and he had to move back in with his mother. He was back where he was when he was twenty-one.

"It's not all doom and gloom." Tom said. "I've got you a temporary job, haven't I? I know it won't pay six figures, but it's something."

"I know, I know." Matthew said, but didn't appear any less down.

"Look, if you ask me, you just need a good shag." Tom said bluntly, and Matthew almost choked on his beer. "I'm telling you, it will make you feel better." Tom said simply.

"I'm not going to 'shag' some random woman. I'm not a horny teenager." Matthew muttered. It wasn't his style at all, and he couldn't see how it would lighten his mood. He'd be in the same situation the next morning, after all.

"Mate, I've shown you the fit birds on Tinder, haven't I?" Tom persisted. "Are you telling me that the feel of a woman beneath you, or on top of you, or...wherever, won't lift your spirits? You need to let yourself go, just for a few hours! It's a Friday night. Plus, you spent so many bloody hours in the gym every morning working on that torso - at least let someone enjoy it!" Tom downed the rest of his drink and stood up to go to the men's room.

Pondering Tom's words, Matthew pulled out his phone.

...

Mary tapped her foot on the pavement restlessly. It was midnight and she was standing on a street corner in central London. She hoped nobody thought she was a prostitute. She almost felt like one - stood there, waiting for sex with an unknown man. It wasn't the same, though, she knew. He'd looked good in his picture, of course, otherwise she wouldn't have swiped right. There hadn't been much else to go on besides his proximity, but something about his photograph made her go for him. He'd looked...trustworthy, in some way.

Naturally, photographs could be deceiving and there was a chance she was about to be slaughtered by some ugly maniac.

Pushing those thoughts out of her mind, she looked down the street expectantly. She hadn't wanted to meet at her place immediately, in case he was an actual psychopath, so had suggested a street nearby. He only lived a couple of miles away, so shouldn't be too long...

Oh, here he was.

Mary straightened herself up as he approached, cutting a fine silhouette in the moonlight. He hadn't bothered to put on a coat, despite it being fairly chilly, allowing Mary to observe his frame beneath his fitted polo shirt and black jeans. His eyes were even bluer in real life and he sported rugged facial hair that he hadn't in his photo. Suddenly, Mary felt rather warm herself.

"Mary?" Matthew asked tentatively. God, he hoped this was her. She'd looked beautiful in her photo, but it was difficult to tell how accurate it would be. He'd seen how different his female friends could look on Facebook, after copious amounts of make-up and positioning and lighting. This woman in front of him, however, looked even more delectable in person. Her hair was shiny and tousled around her shoulders, contrasting wonderfully with her fair, smooth skin. His eyes automatically travelled over her dark eyes, her rosy lips, her slender neck and down to her chest which disappeared beneath her jacket.

"Yes, that's me." Mary replied.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Matthew." Matthew said politely, his lips quirking upwards in a smirk at the absurdity of the situation.

His voice was like a dark chocolate fondant trickling down her throat. His little boyish smirk unwittingly made her swallow hard. Jesus, he was beautiful. "Likewise." She said. It was a strange experience, meeting someone for the first time while knowing that you were going to be having sex with them shortly. Yet, she found it quite exciting. It wasn't often that she did things that had no consequences, where she could be as daring and as irresponsible as she liked without having to worry. Looking at him as he stood before her, Mary reckoned she'd quite like to be daring with this Matthew fellow.

"So, erm, where shall we go?" Matthew asked. He didn't know what the protocol was - perhaps he should have asked Tom about it, or read a forum on the internet beforehand. Were they supposed to get something to eat first, make some small talk, to at least maintain a pretence of decency? It seemed ridiculous to jump straight into it. Although, noticing her bare legs underneath her short dress and jacket, Matthew felt like jumping straight into it might not be such a bad idea.

"My flat is a couple of minutes away, if that's OK." Mary replied, her heart beginning to beat rapidly. Matthew nodded.

"Sounds good. Lead the way." His voice was confident, but inside he couldn't believe what was happening. He followed her, and they quickly fell into a swift pace down the cobbled streets. They seemed to speed up as they drew closer to the flat, as if unable to wait.

"It's just this one..." Mary announced quietly as they reached her door, not wanting her neighbours to hear. She fished her keys out of her pocket, tutting at herself as she saw her hands trembling slightly. The anticipation was almost too much. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been with someone, let alone someone this gorgeous. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, feeling Matthew walk in behind her. The door closed behind them and she tossed her keys on the table for the second time that evening, although she was in a very different mood now that she knew her frustrations were about to be released.

Matthew glanced around the flat briefly. It was feminine and refined. Just like her, he surmised.

"Would you like anything?" Mary asked, immediately berating herself for sounding like she was entertaining her grandmother. Matthew smiled at her and shook his head silently.

Their eyes remained locked for a few moments, their expressions quickly descending from polite smiles into lustful hunger. Matthew, his eyes now dark and determined, closed the distance between them and crashed his mouth against hers. Mary's head hit the door softly and she responded to his kiss eagerly with a sigh. Her hands slid over his shoulders and up into his short hair as they deepened the kiss.

Startlingly, Mary felt herself grow ready for him within moments. His body was warm and strong against hers and his hands roamed purposefully. He broke the kiss in order to step back and let her remove her jacket, which now felt suffocating over her body. Her red dress fit her form perfectly, highlighting her curves and lines. If Matthew had wanted her before, he absolutely craved her now. Resuming the kiss, he plunged his tongue into her mouth, eliciting a moan of pleasure from her that sent tingles over his skin.

As she wondered how on Earth he was making her so weak at the knees from just his kiss, she felt his hands knead the flesh of her bottom and glide over her back before cupping her breasts and lowering again. It felt as if his hands were all over at all at once. She summoned her faculties enough to return the favour, running her small hands over his broad back and lean torso, eventually tugging on the hem of his polo shirt. "Matthew," She whispered, surprised at how comfortable she felt saying his name. He stepped away again, hastily tearing the garment off himself. Mary's eyes widened as she gazed at the muscles and definition of his body, desire coursing through her veins. He looked like some form of Scandinavian God, with his piercing blue eyes, dirty blonde hair and toned physique.

"Wow," She breathed inadvertently, her head hitting the door again and tilting slightly as if admiring a work of art, her eyes roaming over him hungrily. Matthew smirked beneath his blush as he closed the gap between them again. "You look smug." Mary teased as he lowered his head to nip at her lips.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Matthew whispered back, taking her lips properly this time. Their tongues ran alongside each other repeatedly, tasting each other as fully as possible. His muscles felt glorious beneath her palms, although their standing position made it difficult to appreciate them fully. As if reading her mind, Matthew asked, "Where's your room?"

"This way," Mary reluctantly broke contact and took his hand to walk the short distance to her room. Once inside, she locked the door. There was little to no chance that Anna would be returning tonight, but Mary wanted to guarantee absolutely no interruptions. She hadn't felt this excited in a long time and she sensed that Matthew would be able to satisfy her completely. Matthew's arms found their way around her again, eagerly grasping her dress to remove it from her body. She kissed his neck and shoulder as she felt the material slide off her skin and pool around her ankles, moaning as his hands toyed with her underwear.

They fell onto the bed, Matthew's weight settling on top of her. Tom had been right, Matthew thought. Mary's body beneath his, her soft, bare flesh in his hands, felt heavenly. He felt unashamedly ravenous, and he was relieved to see that she seemed to echo his lust. They kissed again before he trailed his mouth down her neck and her collarbone, alternately licking and sucking the soft skin, while his fingers found the clasp of her bra. Mary sighed into his hair as he removed the lacy garment, revealing her upper body to him. He quickly encased one plump breast with his mouth, prompting Mary's loudest moan yet, her fingers digging into his scalp and her leg winding around him. His tongue swirled around her nipple and she writhed beneath him, finding it difficult to breath normally.

Matthew continued to kiss his way down her body, his hands touching whatever his mouth couldn't reach. He was consumed by her in a completely novel way - it was animalistic and primal and he felt so powerful as he listened to her sighs and whimpers. His lips traced a path down her stomach until he reached her underwear. He was about to look up at her for affirmation until he noticed that she had reached down to remove them herself, obviously as impatient as he was. He smiled at her again, pulling the final piece of material off her body. Before she had time to grab hold of his arms to drag him back up, he gently pushed her legs apart and descended onto her core with his mouth. She cried out, her body arching off the bed at the unexpected sensation. Her body was on fire, and she strained to watch his head between her legs as he continued relentlessly to pleasure her, his hands simultaneously massaging her hips. She didn't last long, and as the waves rippled through her body he lifted himself up, kicked his boxers off, speedily put his protection on and settled between her legs.

"Are you alright?" He asked, seeing that she was still panting hard.

Was she _alright? _Hell, she'd never felt so close to a cardiac arrest in all her life, but she wasn't about to complain. Wordlessly, she pulled him down for another kiss until her body regained its feeling. Soon, she was ready again, and he slid into her slowly, groaning deeply as he did so. Their bodies moved together, undulating as they moaned and whimpered and felt all their worries evaporate. Matthew buried his head in her neck and bit at her skin in order to contain his grunts, while Mary ran her fingernails over the firm muscles of his back and bottom.

She was being wanton and uninhibited, and everything she never usually was. And, as odd as it seemed, she trusted this total stranger enough to be all those things with him. He was taking control of her without dominating her or rendering her submissive, and it was delicious.

Their pace and urge for release increased. Matthew lifted his upper body off hers and hooked an arm under each of her knees. He looked down at her, beautiful and flushed, with her hair wild and splayed over her pillow, sweat glistening on her skin as he drove into her. His hands gripped her legs more tightly as he thrust harder and harder, and in the back of his mind he worried that he would bruise her thighs, but she didn't seem to care. Her cries and moans spurred him on until he felt her tighten around him. She practically screamed as she spasmed underneath him, her back arching and fingers grabbing the bedsheets. The sight and feel of her made it difficult for him to keep going any longer, and he soon came crashing down, exploding into her with a loud groan.

He fell directly on top of her, then realised his weight probably wasn't comfortable for her. With great effort, he summoned whatever remaining ounces of energy he had left to roll away from her. He let out a curse under his breath, seeing stars.

...

Mary parked her car outside her parents' house. It was Saturday afternoon and they had invited her over for tea after last night's dinner. Edith and Sybil were going to be there, too.

Taking the keys out of the ignition, she pulled her compact mirror out of her purse and held it up to her neck. She'd had to cake several layers of foundation over her throat, as her bed partner had left numerous bites on it during the course of their romp.

Or should that be _romps_, plural, Mary corrected herself with a blush. After their first intense round, Mary had realised that she'd not had much chance to explore his body in the way he'd explored hers. So, she'd climbed on top of him while he was still catching his breath and slowly mapped his body with her lips and tongue, feeling him twitch against her leg not long after. She'd looked down at him as he settled his hands on her hips, his eyes closing in pleasure as she mounted him and rocked and bounced until they reached ecstasy again. It had been just as intense, and they'd enjoyed themselves so much that, notwithstanding their exhaustion, they'd decided to have another go at it. This time, Matthew had taken her from behind.

Mary's skin flushed an even deeper crimson at the thought of it. In broad daylight, it seemed scandalous. Indeed, even Matthew's eyes had widened when she'd suggested it to him, whispering it in his ear seductively. He'd quickly grown excited by the idea, however, and she could see the thrilled glint in his eye when he settled his hands on her buttocks as she turned away from him. Despite her relatively submissive position, he could have easily taken advantage of her and gone beyond what she'd suggested, but he didn't.

In fact, in a bizarre way, he'd been a perfect gentleman. After their third round, they'd both bashfully admitted that they were too spent to be able to do anything else. Matthew had dressed himself, rather uncomfortably given that he was covered in sweat (although he'd politely declined Mary's offer of using her shower), and Mary had thrown on her small dressing gown.

She'd walked him to the door and he'd smiled at her as they kissed again, thanking her before departing.

She'd awoken this morning with an ache permeating her body, to the point where it had been testing to even drive the fifty minute journey to the Crawley residence in Hertfordshire. It was a pleasant reminder of her night, though. It's not as if she'd ever have any other reminder of it, given that it was a one-off event with a mysterious, beautiful man. Nevertheless, it had served its purpose - an enjoyable escape from an otherwise mundane and pressurised life.

Sighing at the thought of getting back to reality, Mary exited the car and walked into the large house.

"Mary, hello again, darling." Robert greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, her mother following suit.

"What's wrong with your neck?" Edith asked loudly, immediately silenced by a withering stare from her older sister.

"I was just telling your sisters that we have another guest for tea," Robert said, clearly not noticing the patchiness of Mary's throat, "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, who is it?" Mary asked, settling down on the sofa.

"Well, you know what trouble we've been having with these builders and surveyors who've wrecked the second floor extension," Robert sighed. "I found a property lawyer to help us assess our case against the construction company."

"Really, Dad, do we need to throw more money on this second floor extension?" Mary asked wearily.

"Now, Mary, we shouldn't let these companies get the better of us. It shouldn't cost too much, anyway - it will only be a few weeks' of work, I'd imagine." Cora replied.

"Yes, you'd think so, but we all know how lawyers like to wring as much money out of people as they can." Mary said drily.

Robert chuckled. "I'd hope not - Sybil's friend recommended him. Apparently he's a nice chap - ah, this must be him. Thank you, Carson." Robert smiled as the butler brought in their guest.

Mary turned at the sound of their footsteps.

Deep brown eyes met dazzling blue ones, each pair widening in alarm.

_Shit. _

_..._

_A/N: *blushes* I hope you enjoyed this and it wasn't OTT! We can all do with a bit of Sunday evening smut, though, can't we...? I've left this open to continue in other one-shots as and when I feel like it, but I don't want to commit to a proper story, because we all know how tardy I've been with my other stories and I have enough of them going on! xxx_


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